January 22, 2012

Ok these are a little late, but better late than never, right? Hopefully me posting my goals at the end of January isn't an indication as to how this year will go. But honestly, I have been so preoccupied I didn't give it much thought until recently.

1. Lose 25 pounds. Somewhere after RAGBRAI and being in a new relationship and being busy with grad school, working out became few and far between and I put on a much heavier "winter coat" than usual. So, it's time to shed the extra poundage. I'm hoping publicly announcing my goal will help me stick to the plan. Working out 5+ days per week and lots of vegetables, here I come!

2. 6 Blog posts per month. For some that number sounds kind of pathetic, but if you look at my most recent posting history, it will be a dramatic improvement.

3. Read at least 1 book per month. I think this is about on par with what I achieved in 2011. I've really become a fan of audiobooks (or ear-reading as my significant other calls it). My on-hold list at the library is getting a little short, any suggestions?

4. Break snooze button habit. This has seriously gotten out. of. control. I hit snooze every 10 minutes for an hour or longer every morning. I try to set my alarm for later, but I still find myself going through the constant snoozing routine and I just arrive later and later to work. I don't know how I'll break it, but I know I need to for better sleep and all-around health.

5. Weekly sketches. I'm not a natural doodler or sketcher, but I want to start doing much more. I think this will help my creativity, help me find my personal aesthetic and all sorts of wonderful things. Ideally, I'd like to go for a walk outside and sketch nature, but the current chilly weather might keep that plan on hold for a while.

6. One craft/art project per month. I used to constantly work on craft projects for my apartment but now I'm pretty well settled and haven't been doing as much hands-on creativity. I want to pick that back up in hopes that it continue to boost creativity in other areas (much like weekly sketches).

7. Finish thesis & graduate! This is a big one. Last semester I officially started my thesis-prep classes and I'll continue those throughout 2012. My goal is the graduate at the end of Fall semester this year, so I need to get into gear and keep researching, ideating, and working on my thesis. Wish me luck!

4 comments:

You know how I broke the snooze button habit? I set my alarm for the time I actually needed to get up. You get better sleep for that last hour anyway that way. Trust me. It sounds scary, but I swear it will work. If you're a while-still-sleeping-snooze-button-pusher, put your alarm across the room. :)

PS 25 pounds is a LOT to lose. Good luck! I know you can do it. You did RAGBRAI last year. Honestly after I did the marathon, I got used to eating whatever the hell I wanted, and gained a little more weight than I wanted. Training for something always helps me get back on track.

Sigh. The snooze button continues to be my nemesis. I've tried the set-it-for-the-actual-time thing and the put-it-across-the-room thing and it still doesn't work... but as another friend recommended I just need to be an adult about it. As of tomorrow morning, I'm going to try, try, try to be better.

25 is a lot to lose... I've probably needed to lose that much since the beginning of college. And it's not so much the number that I'm sticking to, it's just all around health and a feeling a of satisfaction. I've gained a lot of muscle mass since college which I know has skewed the scale, but in a healthier way. The current number still kind of freaks me out. I agree training for something helps, I just need to figure out what I want that to be...

I'm surprised that you're a snooze button pusher, Steph! I thought you were pretty "type-A." It's always been an issue for me, too. Currently i only hit snooze once (okay, twice) each morning for five minutes, but i still feel like it probably sets me up for sleepiness throughout the day. My husband just gets out of bed when his alarm goes off and is perfectly alert, and i do not get it. I really want to try one of those alarm clocks that gradually shines a light for you, so it's like you're waking up with the sun.

Oh, also—there's this iPhone/iPod app called Sleep Cycle that sounds a gentle alarm during a specified time range when it feels you stir, so that it's a more natural awakening for you. I tried it a couple times and really liked it, but i don't have a good way to keep my iPod plugged in all night and the battery doesn't last that long anymore (the screen has to be on the whole time).